A Time before
by Reuai
Summary: This is not the Avatar's story. This is a story about someone else. This is a story of survival, friendship, death and hope. A century ago, before there was Avatar, there was this. Rated for so much character death. R
1. Days of Innocence

Author's Note:

This fanfiction takes place almost 100 years before the beginning of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Fire Lord Sozin has launched his global assault, and the Air Nomads have been wiped out. All, it appears, save one. This is the tale of Genbai, a young, uncharacteristically serious (sometimes) apprentice of the Northern Air temple. It is also the tale of Zerain, a fierce yet kindhearted Firebender living her life as an outcast of the Fire Nation. Through their isolation they find each other, and together they both just might be what the other needs to survive.

CHAPTER ONE

Days of Innocence

A cavalier grin split Genbai's face as he clung to his glider, first plummeting then soaring through the crisp mountain air. He shot into a passing cloud, unable to restrain a giggle as the water coated his habit, clinging to his clean-shaven scalp. He knew he had chores to do, and he knew that the Air Nomads of the northern air temple were supposed to exercise discipline. Monk Hotetsa, he reflected, would be very angry with him for shirking his duties to go flying so early in the morning.

A voice jarred Genbai out of his reverie, and he angled his glider out of the cloud, curious. Struggling to keep his glider as stationary as possible, he surveyed the cloudscape until he spotted a flying bison lazily circling above the temple. Two elder monks were conversing on her back. Genbai realized that the wind must have carried one of their voices to him from all the way over there. Failing to rein in his curiosity, Genbai coaxed a current of air to him from the two monks, eavesdropping on their conversation.

"We have much to fear, it would seem." Genbai recognized the bored sounding cadence of Monk Hotetsa. "Our brothers to the south are anxious. It would seem that they have decided to reveal the Avatar's identity four years ahead of schedule."

Genbai gasped softly and his glider careened dangerously for a moment before he steadied it again. Was he really about to learn the identity of the Avatar before anyone else? He reflected that most people had assumed that the next Avatar would be a girl, since the previous one had been male. But if the new Avatar lived at the Southern Air Temple, that could only mean he was a boy. Genbai wondered if he and the Avatar had ever met, and simply not known it.

"What!" Genbai winced at the sound of Monk Winbu's exclamation. The portly monk was prone to outbursts when surprised. "That's a foolish idea! After all, young monk Aang is only twelve, there is no way he can shoulder such a burden! He is too young!"

"_Avatar_ Aang is young, that is true. And Monk Gyatso is fervently opposing the decision. However, Fire Nation hostilities are ever increasing. The Southern Air Temple monks feel that we can afford to wait no longer. Part of me is inclined to agree with them."

"This is madness." Monk Winbu sounded tired. Defeated. "What has become of this world? Why would Fire Lord Sozin attempt such a terrible thing?"

From his cache, Genbai saw Monk Hotetsa shrug one shoulder. "There are some who believe that a signal from the heavens has sparked Sozin's ambition. But the cause is immaterial. For now, we wait. Soon, Avatar Aang will know of his destiny, and then we shall discover our next move." Hotetsa's voice was sad and seemingly as tired as Winbu's.

"Yes. We will wait. Tomorrow brings a new day. The future is rife with hope." Winbu agreed.

Genbai sighed, relieved. Looking back, he would refer to that moment as the last time he ever felt lighter than the air he bent, for the young Airbender's world was about to come crashing to the earth.

When Genbai returned to the temple, an air of unease settled around him. The monks were all very quiet, their shorn heads hung low. He shuddered slightly, feeling suddenly cold. He silently tucked the wings of his staff away, and slipped quietly into the novice hall, where the air was distinctly calmer, happier, and warmer.

"Genbai!" A young voice called out to him. Genbai turned to see a small boy of eight years running up to him. "Genbai, you're back! How was it?" The boy was grinning, and talking very loudly.

"Hey Jindi!" Genbai greeted the child warmly. "It was great." He confided. He proudly spun his staff in his hand before landing it back on the floor with a satisfying _clack._ The light from the torches and candles glinted off of the varnished wood, making it gleam brightly. "Handled like a dream." For a moment, the disturbing conversation between Hotetsa and Winbu, and the odd behavior of the older monks outside.

"You're so lucky!" Jindi exclaimed. "I can't wait until _I_ get my own staff!"

Genbai laughed. "Give it time. I had to wait fifteen years. You've just got to practice hard, and pay attention to your studies." Jindi nodded eagerly. "Maybe I'll get my staff in a couple of years!" He said. "If I work _really_ hard, maybe I can get my arrows and staff before I'm thirteen!"

Genbai laughed again. "I don't know about that Jindi." He said. "It's really hard to do, and almost nobody gets their arrows before they become teenagers."

Jindi looked slightly indignant. "Gojai did." He pointed out. "And so did Aang, down at the Southern Air Temple." He pointed behind him with his thumb, as though the temple in question were just a few paces away, instead of clear across the sea.

Genbai fell silent at that, and a shadow fell over his face. _Aang._ He had been known throughout the temples as an Airbending prodigy. Why hadn't anyone figured it out? He was so young when he got his arrows. Genbai was fifteen, and his head, arms and legs were still bare. Aang had had his arrows and staff since he was a child. Shouldn't they have guessed that he was the Avatar?

But Jindi was right. Gojai had gotten his arrows when he was very young, too. And there were at least half a dozen girls at the Eastern and Western Air Temples who had gotten theirs at a similarly young age. Still, no one had been quite as young as Aang, Monk Gyatso's charge.

"Genbai?" Jindi's voice broke Genbai's reverie. "Are you here?" The small boy was waving his pale hand in front of Genbai's face, as though the young monk was in a trance.

"Huh?" Said Genbai, snapping back to reality.

"Oh, I get it." Said Jindi coyly. "You're thinking about the spring equinox, (1) aren't you?"

Genbai blushed. "Um…yeah." He said. He didn't like lying to Jindi, but he didn't want to worry the boy. Later, he would look back on that decision and wonder if maybe he'd done the wrong thing.

"I understand." Jindi said gravely, imitating the older monks. "I'd be zoning out, too, if I was just about to get my arrows."

Now Genbai _was_ thinking about the spring equinox. The monks had decided that it would be the perfect time to proclaim Genbai an Airbending master. To celebrate the occasion, Genbai had been given his very own staff just the previous night. It was his rite of passage, marking him as a master among Airbenders, as well as a man among the Air Nomads. Not that many newly initiated masters took that second part very seriously. Genbai reflected that during a visit to the Southern Air Temple, he'd seen Aang, _Avatar_ Aang, goofing around with the other young monks. Almost as though he wasn't aware of the blue arrows on his forehead, hands and feet.

"Are you nervous?" Jindi asked, bringing Genbai back to reality once again.

Genbai nodded. "A little." He said. He ran a hand over his smooth head. "But I'm excited too." Looking around, he asked, "Have you seen Motsu?"

Jindi nodded. "He's playing airball." He pointed in the direction of the courtyard. "He said he wanted to work off his big breakfast."

Suddenly, Genbai's stomach grumbled. He'd skipped breakfast in order to take his first flight on his new staff as the sun rose. He smiled at Jindi. "I better grab some food for myself before I go find him."

Jindi giggled at the sound of Genbai's stomach, and ran off to play with the other monk children as Genbai made his way to the kitchen for some leftovers.

His arms leaden with fruit and bread, Genbai waded through the sea of young novice monks to get to the airball field. As usual, Motsu was the first one there, balancing easily on a tall wooden pole, gazing across the field of similar poles at his opponent. It was Kiju, Genbai saw, the only other novice who was as passionate about airball as Genbai's best friend.

"Motsu!" Genbai called out, lifting a pear to his mouth.

"It won't work, Genbai!" Motsu's voice was rough with adolescence, deeper than Genbai's, and with a constantly mocking undertone that vanished mysteriously when he was addressing one of the senior monks. "You' can't distract me!" As if to prove his point, Motsu deftly intercepted a throw from Kiju, who had been hoping to catch him off guard, and held it in a swirling ball of air before rocketing it in Kiju's direction with the speed of a buzzard wasp diving for the kill. Kiju leapt out of the way, landing on another pole as though it were three feet wide. Motsu sent a slice of air alongside the ball, angling it toward Kiju's goal. The other novice dove for it, but Motsu was too quick, and sent another current of air to knock Kiju off balance while the ball collided with the goal target, causing it to spin several times before quieting.

"Game point!" Motsu proclaimed, his fists raised to the sky. "You do my chores for a week!"

"No fair!" Kiju complained. He was hanging on by one hand to the pole he had been standing on, and pulled himself back above the forest of carved wood before dusting off his habit. "I want a rematch!"

Motsu shrugged. "Sorry." He said insincerely. He jerked his thumb toward Genbai, saying, "Duty calls."

Motsu jumped lightly from the airball field, drifting through the air and landing softly in front of Genbai. "Hey, arrow man!" He exclaimed, grabbing Genbai into a headlock and rubbing his friend's bald head with his fist.

"Stop it!" Genbai laughed, pushing Motsu away.

"Missed you at rites this morning." Motsu said slyly. "Getting up close and personal with the clouds?" He nudged Genbai with his elbow. It didn't hurt, but Genbai held his side anyway.

"Yeah." Genbai said with a blush. "I couldn't resist."

Motsu laughed. "Hey, who could blame you?" He said. "If I got my staff, you wouldn't see me on the ground until the sun went down!" Motsu was mischievous, but even he would never fly at night, not as a beginner.

Genbai walked with Motsu to a large rock beneath a tree that looked out over the clouds alongside the mountain. He lay on the rock, his hands folded behind his head, while Motsu leaned against it, propped up by his elbows.

"You know," He said, addressing Motsu without looking at him. "I think that maybe after I get my arrows, I'm gonna fly down to the Southern Air Temple. It's been a while since I've visited."

Motsu laughed, and Genbai looked at him. "Why not the Eastern Air Temple." He said suggestively, waggling his eyebrows.

"Shut up." Genbai said laughingly, bending the air under Motsu's orange shawl and making it flop over his head. Motsu laughed and righted his habit, shoving playfully at Genbai's shoulder. Suddenly, Genbai stopped laughing and grew very quiet.

Motsu knew his friend well, and looked at him with concern. "You okay?" He asked softly.

Genbai sighed. Of all the monks, Motsu was the one that Genbai trusted most, and he knew he could tell him anything. He decided that now was not the time to keep secrets. "While I was out gliding," He began. "I overheard something I shouldn't have."

Motsu's eyebrows rose. He didn't say anything, but turned around so he was facing his friend.

"Monk Hotetsa and Monk Winbu were on a flying bison, they were talking and the wind blew their voices towards me." He paused.

"I knew I shouldn't have listened, but I couldn't stop myself. I bended the air so I could hear their full conversation, and what they said…"His voice drifted off. "It wasn't very good."

"What happened?"

"They were talking about the Fire Lord." Genbai said.

"The Fire Lord?" Motsu sounded confused. "Why would they be talking about him?"

"They said Fire Lord Sozin was attacking people, starting a war with the other nations. The way they were talking, it sounded like the Fire Nation has been doing this for a while. They sounded worried, like something bad was gonna happen."

Motsu looked scared for a moment, then waved his hand as if dismissing Genbai's words. "Nah, that can't be. There's no way the Fire Nation could win a war against the rest of the world, especially us! I mean, the Air Temples are impossible to reach without a flying bison! Firebenders can't fly. Besides, the Avatar would never let something like that happen."

Genbai wasn't convinced. "Yeah, but the Avatar's only a kid. Avatar Roku didn't die very long ago, so how can the Avatar do anything?"

Motsu perked up at that. "Hey, you know more than you're letting on. Did Hotetsa and Winbu mention the Avatar? Do they know who she is?"

Genbai didn't answer. He didn't want Motsu to know that Aang was the new Avatar. He didn't want Aang's true identity getting around the temples.

"No." He lied. "They didn't know who he is. But they did say he was at the Southern Air Temple, and that the monks there were planning on telling him four years early."

Motsu whistled. "So it's _not_ a girl." He said. "And he's only twelve? Hmmm…"

"Don't dwell on it, Motsu." Genbai advised. "We'll find out who it is soon enough. The point is, the Avatar is only a kid. I don't think he'll be much of a threat to the Fire Nation."

"You're nuts!" Motsu exclaimed. "I mean, kid or not, this is the _Avatar!_ He can do anything."

"But he's only a kid. He shouldn't have to fight the whole Fire Nation."

"Well, he may have no choice." Motsu sounded serious for a moment. He perked up, "But at least we're safe here!"

"Yeah." Said Genbai. _Safe_.

---

(1) I don't know when exactly Sozin's comet arrived, so I'm using the Spring Equinox as a base point. This can change, depending on any information I receive. It's something of a nod to the Winter Solstice, since that's when Aang found out about the comet to begin with. And, since I don't know anything about the tattooing process used by the Airbenders, I won't go into any detail for fear of losing authenticity to the source material. If and when we ever find out about the process of receiving the arrows, I'd be happy to put it in, but since we don't know, I have no choice but to remain vague about it.

- A special note from the author: I want to apologize right now for future chapters. There's a reason this is rated T, and maybe even deserves an M rating. Everyone you've just met, with the exception of Genbai, is going to die. This isn't a big surprise twist, this is meant to be abundantly clear. So I'm not going to spring this on you. I'm telling you now. You know this already. You've seen it. You've heard it. The people of the Northern Air Temple don't escape. The Fire Nation attack _does_ destroy them. So, as I said, I'm sorry. I know you'd prefer if I hadn't shown them to you, made them so likable and endearing. Hell, _I'd_ prefer it if I hadn't done that. But that's the whole point. The Air Nomads were good people, and they were slaughtered. Monk Gyatso was a wonderful man, and now his bones lie on the ground surrounded by Fire Nation arrows and discarded armor and soldiers. This is the harsh truth. Jindi is going to die. Motsu is going to die. Monk Hotetsa and Monk Winbu are going to die. The cook who gave Genbai the leftovers is going to die. Kiju is going to die. They died already, and I can't change that. But Genbai survived. If you can hold onto nothing else, hold on to that. Genbai survived.

I can't change the story. I'm sorry.


	2. Bad Day to do the Right Thing

A note from the author: I'm tired of the same old fanfic. I'm tired of Zutara, Kataang and Sukka. I'm tired of people from one world getting zapped into the world of _Avatar_, and I'm tired of speculative "after the war" stories. So, I'm writing the fanfiction I want to see. I'm writing about that hundred years of lost time. I'm writing about the experience of life after the war began. I'm giving you a peek into the world of _Avatar_ before there was Zuko, Katara, Sokka and Toph. The war had an affect on everyone, and there are many stories to be told. This, in my mind, is one of them. This is my way of acknowledging that there is a world outside of Aang's life, a vast world full of people and their lives. I want them to be just as important, because they suffered, laughed, loved, and cried too. This is a story for them.

Also, I forgot the disclaimer thing in chapter one, so here it is:

Disclaimer: Avatar isn't mine. It belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. They're the geniuses, not me. The characters you don't recognize are my creations, although, I hope that doesn't make them any less admirable to the reader.

Chapter Two:

Bad Day to do the Right Thing

Zerain didn't know the man. She'd never met him before in her life. He was no one to her, he was only a face with no name. She would never know his name. But that didn't matter.

She was going to save him.

"This man," The General proclaimed, "Is a despicable spy for the Earth King. He has come here to spy on our soldiers and thwart our great campaign to bring glory to the Fire Nation." At his feet was a battered man, maybe thirty or forty years old, dressed in green. His tunic and pants were badly ripped, and his bare feet were bloody with scrapes and blisters from walking barefoot on craggy ground. His head hung limply, and he lacked the strength even to sit up. His boddy sagged like an old cloth doll. His face, obscured by his dirty and tangled hair, was covered in bruises and fresh scars. He and the Fire Nation General were on a large wooden platform, almost like a stage, facing a crowd of people who looked on with a mixture of curiosity, apprehension, and horror.

"He comes here, disguised as a harmless merchant, dealing in lies and deceit. Let him be an example to all who would oppose our great nation: We. Will. Not. Be. Fooled!"

A cheer erupted from the soldiers and sympathetics in the crowd. They jeered at the prisoner, who knelt, defenseless and broken, before them.

Zerain's heart was in her throat. She listened to the Genral's pack of lies, hatred and anger bubbling up inside of her chest.

The Fire General raised his fist, a malicious grin on his face. Fire sprouted around his hand, wreathing it in a red and orange glow. The flames rose to dance in the air, eager to fulfill their purpose.

"And now, DIE!" The General cried. The blast gathered force and leapt from his fist. Instantly, another blast hit it from the side, extinguishing the flame and leaving the prisoner untouched.

"Who dares!" The General screamed, his eyes bugging out of his head, the veins in his forehead and neck throbbing.

The crowd parted to reveal Zerain, her fist still extended, smoke curling up from her knuckles. Her eyes were fixed on the General with a cold stare.

"A child?" He exclaimed in shock. "A child dares to interfere with _my_ execution?"

Zerain lowered her arm, a smirk adorning her lips. She walked toward the General, her steps deliberate and threatening.

"I dare." She said, her voice steely. "I deny your justice." The words dripped with contempt. "I deny your lies!"

"_How dare you!"_

Zerain cut him off. "You are a fool! You shame our nation and the name of our Fire Lord! Sozin weeps to know such idiots fill his great military!"

The General was livid. He sputtered, his face turning purple with his outrage.

Zerain did not relent. "Anyone can see this man is a merchant only! He is only on that stage with you because you didn't like his prices! I saw you haggling with him! When you would not pay enough, he wouldn't sell. And so you burn him as a spy! You are a selfish, heartless buffoon! There is no place in the Fire Nation for power without mercy! I will not let you condemn this man for a crime he did not commit!"

"_YOU!" _The General howled. He leapt from the platform, landing hard on the ground below. Fire jetted out from his fists, his eyes burned with anger and hatred. Zerain's eyes remained cold and calm. She smirked.

The General let out a bestial roar and charged. Zerain nimbly evaded him, sliding her foot under his legs and causing him to topple onto the ground. She whipped around, her long black braid snapping into the cool early spring air behind her. She took a solid stance and loosed a fire blast directly at the General. He swept his arm before the fire and it dissipated, he countered with a forceful blast that struck Zerain hard in the shoulder. She yelped and clutched at the wound. From the crowd, a woman screamed, Zerain's mother. She ignored the sound, and went on the defensive. She dropped to the ground and spun her legs into a swift circular kick, shooting fire at the General as he advanced for a short-range attack. He was caught off guard and stumbled back, as she swiftly swept her legs behind his and sent him toppling onto his backside. She leapt to her feet and jumped into the air, her arm extended for another blast. The General was too quick, he caught her by the arm and used it to drive her into the ground. There was a sickening snap, and pain shot up Zerain's arm, blinding her momentarily. She clenched her teeth and tried to maneuver herself out of the General's grip, but each move only aggravated her wound, and she cried out in pain, clenching her eyes shut.

Zerain felt a hand roughly grab her by the hair, and the General's voice sounded as a harsh whisper in her ear. "You are a traitor to the Fire Lord and his power. You will suffer for this treason." His voice was menacing and low. "I will see you suffer for this. You will pay dearly. You will lose everything. When I have done with you, you will wish you shared his fate." He hissed the last words, and roughly threw Zerain to the ground. She clutched her arm and opened her eyes. Through her blurred vision, she saw the General mount the platform and stand by the Earth Kingdom prisoner. With a savage look to her, the General raised his hand, and punched down, a blast of fire shooting out from his flesh.

The man didn't have time to scream, even if he could muster the strength. He made no move at all, as the fire struck his body. With a flash of light and the sickening scent of charred hair and flesh, the Earth Kingdom merchant was dead.

The next thing she knew, Zerain was being hauled roughly to her feet and dragged onto the platform. Again, the General grabbed her roughly by the hair. Through the fog of pain enveloping her head, Zerain heard the General's voice. It sounded distant, but clear.

"This girl is a traitor to the Fire Nation! She shall pay for her treachery, and let her be an example to the rest of you!"

A strangled cry rose from the audience, as Zerain's mother fell to her knees in horror, tears streaming down her face.

"From this moment forward, this girl is not Fire Nation! She is forbidden to claim this land as her home, these people as her family! She is stripped of her identity, she shall live out her days IN EXILE!"

A collective gasp swept through the assembled crowd. Zerain's mother wept loudly. Her daughter was worse than dead. Zerain felt intense heat at the back of her neck. There was a terrible odor of burning hair, and Zerain fell heavily to her knees. Above her, the General clutched her long braid in his hand, the ends still smoldering in the heat from his hand. Zerain saw the evil grin on the General's lips, and everything went black.

It occurred to Zerain that it should have been raining as she left her village the next day. Instead, the sun was shining brilliantly, and the grass shone with morning due. She cast one last, longing look at her home. No one was there to send her off. In exile, you have no family. After treating her wounds and giving her some supplies, Zerain's family was forbidden to acknowledge her in any way. She was forced to leave her home and the people she loved without so much as a good bye.

The way ahead of her seemed too long. Before her the road sloped gently downward, leading to a path ending at the harbor. There, a boat was waiting to take her away, where she would no longer be a citizen of the Fire Nation, but rather a fugitive. Any attack from the Fire Nation's army that might befall wherever she ended up would spell her doom. Zerain was in exile, and would be afforded no mercy. If she ever returned to the Fire Nation, she would be killed on sight.

Tears tracked down her cheeks as she turned away from her home and her life, walking slowly down her path. Each step took her farther and farther away from the Fire Nation, and her past.

Zerain sat silently in the boat, waves rocked and heaved at it as it made its way toward the Earth Kingdom. She didn't look at the fishermen who were taking her, and they ignored her. Her image was already being circulated through the Fire Nation, warning everyone of her shame and her punishment.

As the sun rose higher in the morning sky, a fifteen year old girl became an outcast of the Fire Nation.

---

A/N: This isn't a very good chapter, and I'll probably revise it. It's late now, and I just wanted to finish this as fast as I could. I just hope the fight scene was alright. I'll see tomorrow when I re-read it.


	3. Genocide

Author's note: It's that time. Chapter three. The title says it all, and I'm not holding back. It will be bad. I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out how Genbai escapes, and I hope this works. If not, then I've got problems. Also, one more time, I apologize for what's about to happen. Know that this was very hard to write, and I'm not including an author's note at the end, because I don't want to ruin the finish. It's too important. So this is it. I hope it does justice to the source material, and I hope you can get the sense from it of the enormity of what happened to the Air Nomads, not to mention their real world counterparts. I know I can never truly capture the suffering and anguish of someone who's actually lived through an ordeal like this, but I hope the message gets through somehow.

Disclaimer: All hail Michael and Bryan! They be yon Gods of Animation! They own the setting, I own the characters. At least, all of the characters that actually have a part. The ones I mention but never actually introduce, yeah, you already know them.

Chapter Three

Genocide

The monk's cries sliced through the chill evening air. He raced through the temple, his face a mask of terror. He was young for a senior monk, his long moustache was still sleek black, and it bobbed gracelessly around his face as he ran, his feet barely touched the ground as he made his way haphazardly through the temple grounds, his voice roaring out the news, "The Avatar is gone! He's missing! Avatar Aang has run away!"

Genbai and the other boys were jerked out of sleep by the monk's cries. Genbai rubbed the back of his shaved head blearily and looked out at the frantic monk.

"Monk Noje!" The voice of Monk Winbu carried through the darkening night. "What is the meaning of this? Why the uproar?"

"Monk Winbu!" Monk Noje panted. "There is news…from our brothers in the south…Avatar Aang…he's gone!"

There was an audible gasp from Monk Winbu. "This is terrible news!" He said tightly. "We must assemble a council of the Senior Monks at once! Go see if Monk Hotetsa is awake."

From the window of the novice dormatory high above, Genbai saw Monk Noje bow deeply to Winbu before scampering off in the direction of the Senior Monks' chambers.

Worship was abandoned the next day, and the next. The novices were given free reign to do as they pleased, and supervised by only a smattering of the Monks. The Senior Monks, and many of the rest, were busy day and night in council, discussing recent events. Many of the boys speculated about what was going on inside of the sacred hall, imagining what secrets were being shared as the sacred carvings looked on from their places on the walls. They were all very quiet, and very scared. The older boys looked after the younger ones, who felt but did not understand the apprehension in the air. No one played Airball, not even Motsu. The lemurs and bison milled around anxiously, and no one laughed.

"They're talking about the Fire Nation in there." Monk Tenaju confided to Genbai as they washed the dishes from dinner. He was whispering, even though no one was around. "I was invited yesterday. The monks are afraid, they say without the Avatar, the Fire Nation will be free to wage war against all other elements."

Genbai looked at the young monk, his eyes wide. He remembered the conversation he'd overheard during his first glide. It seemed so long ago now. "You don't think Sozin is really planning to take over the world, do you?" It sounded too melodramatic to be real.

Monk Tenaju lowered his eyes. "It looks bad, novice Genbai. It looks very bad. And that's not all."

Genbai studied the older man's face. "What? What is it?"

Tenaju took a deep breath. "Another monk has gone missing from the Southern Air Temple. A Senior Monk this time."

"Who is it? Do you think he went after the Avatar, to try to find him?"

Tenaju shrugged. "Who can say? Maybe he did, or maybe he's the first victim. They said he went out on his Flying Bison, and he didn't return."

"Who is it, though?"

Tenaju looked at Genbai solomnly, his face shadowed with fear, worry and sadness. It made Genbai shiver to look at him.

"Monk Afiko."

The days passed, and the Spring Equinox was almost upon them. Genbai knew he should be excited, he was about to receive his arrows and be marked as a true Airbending Master. He would become a monk, no longer a novice. He'd be a man, able to attend secret council meetings and confer with other monks like Tenaju. But Genbai couldn't look foreward to the ceremony. Things hadn't gotten any better since the terrible news of Avatar Aang's disappearance. Many believed he was dead, and waited for news of the new avatar's discovery in the Water Tribe, which would come, they believed, too late. Others thought that Aang had simply run away, and it was all the Southern Air Temple monks' fault for telling him the truth so early.

It was four days until the Equinox, and Genbai didn't know what to do. He was worried that he wouldn't be given his arrows, that the monks would forget him. He was worried that the Fire Nation was going to somehow scale the mountain and swarm the temple at any second, despite his constant assurances that no one other than an Air Nomad could reach the temples. He was worried that the Avatar would never return, and the world would fall to the Fire Nation, once a great ally, now a fierce enemy led by the ambitious and cruel Fire Lord Sozin. But most of all he worried that life at the Temple would never be the same again.

He was right.

The bison flew in shortly after noon. Atop his back was a middle-aged woman, her long black hair tangled and limp, trailing behind her like a tattered banner. Her habit was stained with blood in many places and covered in dirt and mud. As the bison landed, the woman toppled off. She was caught deftly by Monk Hotetsa, assisted by Monk Tenaju. By now, a crowd had gathered around her, and Genbai was only a few feet away, able to see everything. She coughed, blood spilling from her lips.

"Fire…" her voice was raspy, weak and hard to hear. "Fire Nation…attack…no—_cough, cough_—survivors…"

And she was gone. Her body hung limply in the two monks' arms. Tenaju looked at her with horror, but did not drop her. She had faught fiercely to survive long enough to deliver the message, her body deserved reverence.

There were tears in Monk Hotetsa's eyes as he spoke, his voice quavering. "I know this nun." He said softly. " She is Soonti, a Senior Nun at the Western Air Temple." He sobbed. "We must…she needs a proper service." He fell to his knees, Tenaju following him numbly. Hotetsa sobbed, his body shaking. He buried his face in the woman's habit, shaking his head. "Soonti…" He wept. "Soonti…Soonti…"

Many of the men and boys in the crowd were weeping too. Several fell to their knees, or collapsed completely, their bodies prone on the floor. Genbai stood still, his eyes fixed on Soonti's now empty body. He couldn't cry. He couldn't move or think. He wanted terribly to tear his gaze away from the corpse but he couldn't.

So this was death. This was what the Fire Nation had in store for them. This is what was going to happen to all of them.

He finally managed to look away from the body, away from the sobbing Hotetsa and the blank-faced Tenaju, and looked instead at the crowd. He caught sight of Jindi, who was trembling like a leaf ready to fall. Kiju was with him, holding him reassuringly even as his own legs buckled and his body sagged.

Soonti's body was given a proper sending off. The ceremony lasted many hours, and was deeply solomn. There was no celebration of her life, though it had been a good one. Nobody could celebrate. Nobody sang or feasted or danced in an effort to make her trip to the Spirit World a pleasant one. And no one laughed.

The monks once again took to the council chamber, only now there was no attempt to close off proceedings. There was to formal structure to these meetings. Everything was urgent. They needed a plan.

"The Fire Nation has begun its attack." Monk Opano said tensely. "The Western Air Temple has fallen. We may well be next. We _must_ devise a plan to evacuate the Temple immediately!"

There was no argument. There wasn't time. The monks and even the novices worked day and night to devise an escape route. Genbai barely thought of the upcoming equinox. There would be no tattooing ceremony, he knew. He would not be accepted as a master, he would not ascend to the rank of monk. Part of him doubted he would live that long, anyway. Soonti's death had fallen over everybody. It was as though the members of the Northern Air Temple were already dead.

The gloom that had settled over the Northern Air Temple became unbearable, and by the morning of the third day since Soonti's death, one day before Genbai was supposed to recieve his arrows, he could take no more. As the sun rose to meet the Temple in the clouds, Genbai took hold of his gleaming new staff and extended the wings. He hadn't gone gliding in weeks, and he needed to clear his head. He knew that the monks would be evacuating soon. Almost everything was ready. By now, even the youngest of novices knew their roll. Genbai would have to be back before long, to join the exodus. He just wanted one more chance to see his beloved temple from the sky, to soar among the clouds like a true Airbender.

And so, Genbai was alone in the sky when the attack began.

Genbai was resting his aching arms and legs, sitting on a rocky outcropping somewhere in the middle of the ocean, east of his temple. He was bathed in the moisture from the clouds, relaxing for the first time in weeks, when a terrible sound ripped through the air.

It was a bellow, an anguished roar. It was louder than thunder in Genbai's ears, and it made his heart jump. A horrible, sickening tightness constricted inside of his chest. He knew what that sound was.

It was the death roar of a Flying Bison.

Frantic, Genbai snatched up his staff and took to the skies again. He soared towards his home, his family, praying he wasn't too late, knowing he was.

More sounds joined the now frequent death bellows. The terrified screeching of lemurs mingled with the panicked screams of men and boys. Tears sprung to Genbai's eyes, each new howl of pain, or scream of terror cut through his heart like a hunter's arrow.

And then there were the smells. He was close enough now. A single cloud bank shielded him from the sight, but not the smells. The choking weight of thick smoke mixed with the undeniable scent of burning hair and fur, and worse, human flesh. Genbai realized that though he'd never smelled it before, he knew it right away. His brothers were dying.

The cloud was swept aside by the wind, and the scene was revealed to the stricken novice. Huge pillars of smoke rose from the temple, carrying with it the screams and roars and howls and screeches of the victims and the killers.

Genbai wanted to scream. He wanted to fight, to join his brothers being slain below him. He gripped his staff, knuckles white. He couldn't put his thoughts together. He couldn't register the reality of what he was seeing. What was happening? This wasn't right. They were supposed to escape. They were leaving. They were supposed to be safe.

He didn't know what he was doing. He wasn't aware of anything around him. He wasn't aware of himself. It wasn't until his feet touched down on that same rock formation that he realized what he had done.

He ran away.

"I'm like you now, Aang." He said to the Avatar, wherever he was. "I'm just as big a coward as you were." He hugged his knees to his chest, bowed his head, and wept.

The temple was silent. For the first time, Genbai knew what it felt like to be alone. There was no one around. No life, no hope, no laughter. There was only death.

It surrounded him. The corpses of his fallen brothers, and those of the few Fire Nation soldiers they had managed to defeat, littered the ground. Genbai looked at them without feeling. He couldn't feel anything anymore. He barely registered the stench coming from the massive, smoldering remains of a Flying Bison lying nearby. He didn't care.

The Airball field was virtually untouched. But no one would ever play on it again. For a brief moment, Genbai thought he could see Motsu, balancing confidently as he leapt from pole to pole. The ghost of Motsu's laughter drifted around Genbai as he turned his back on the field.

Jindi was walking beside him, his face alight with a beaming smile. _Whatcha doing, Genbai? Where are you going?_ He asked. Genbai didn't respond. He wouldn't even look at the boy as the wind swept him away, his memory fluttering on the breeze.

Many of the corpses were burned beyond recognition, but too many were easily identifiable. There was Novice Mijin, who was always sneaking extra helpings at mealtime. There was Monk Hojida, who laughed at the dumbest jokes, no matter how foolish they were.

And there, Monk Hotetsa. He was in the sacred chamber, along with several young novices and a few monks. Genbai had been Hotetsa's charge since he was a small child. Hotetsa was almost a father to him. The elderly monk was on his side, one arm pinned underneath him, pointing straight out. The other arm hung limply across his belly. His legs were tucked close. He looked like he was sleeping, but there was no breath making his chest rise and fall. There was no Monk Hotetsa anymore.

Genbai knelt by his mentor, his head heavy on his shoulders. "Monk Hotetsa," he pleaded. "What am I supposed to do? Help me. I've never been alone before." At last, tears began to come to his eyes. The memory of a hand lighted softly on his shoulder. Genbai didn't look up.

_Do not worry, young monk_. Hotetsa's voice flitted faintly through Genbai's spirit.

"I'm not a monk." He said softly. "I'm still a novice."

Hotetsa's smile rested momentarily in Genbai's heart. _Don't be silly. Just because I am not here to give you your arrows, does not mean you haven't earned them. But you must be worthy of them, for they are in your heart, and not on your body, where it is easy to see and remember them. You must never forget to cherish them, to honor them_.

Salty tears trickled down Genbai's cheecks, his breathing became hitched. "I ran away." He said bitterly.

_You were wise. Had you tried to help, the Fire Nation soldiers would have killed you too_. Hotetsa's memory said quietly. _Now, there is one to carry on our ways. Maybe the last one._

Genbai's heart sank further, imagining a world without Air Nomads. A world that could very well come to be, once Genbai was dead.

_Now, enough of that_. Hotetsa's stern rebuke drifted into Genbai's mind. _You must never give up hope, young monk_. Genbai felt the memory of Hotetsa lower its head, eyes closed. _When all else is gone, there will always be hope. The sun will rise tomorrow, Monk Genbai. Be sure you rise with it_. And with a final surge of pure love, a perfect good-bye filling Genbai's very skin, suffusing his spirit, Hotetsa was gone.

The ceremony took many hours, and was very solomn. There was no one to sing, or to feast, or to dance. There was no celebration of life, among so much death. Genbai was alone. He clung to the memory of his home, of his family. He bid farewell to Motsu, Kiju, Jinji, Winbu, Hotetsa and everyone else he had ever loved. He handled their bodies with care, doing his best to honor each and every departed spirit.

When it was over, he once again took to the sky on his glider, heading toward the Earth Kingdom and leaving behind his home, the Northern Air Temple, which was a home no more.

There was nobody left to send him off. No one sang, no one cried, no one encouraged him, or offered him advice. No one held him, or comforted him, or gave him gifts.

And no one laughed.


	4. Moving On, Looking Back

Author's Note: Well, the fate of the Air Nomads has been sealed, so far as we know. The terrible genocide of the Air Temples is behind us, and the only way to go is foreword. This is where the exposition ends and the story begins. We're going to revisit Zerain and find out what it's like on the first day of Exile. This is also the first duel chapter, so we're also going to see Genbai, and we find out what it's like to be an Airbender alone. Where Aang had Appa, Katara and Sokka from the start, Genbai is entirely alone. Find out what that does to someone who has never known life beyond communal living in a protected environment.

To effie's head: Thank you for your consistent reviews and insightful comments. It's readers like you that keep me writing! Also, thanks for the compliments; I'm glad you're enjoying the story.

Chapter Four

Moving On, Looking Back

The waves surged and receded beneath the small boat as Zerain sat silently alone at the stern. She hardly noticed the constant rocking and tilting of the boat; her mind was completely absorbed in her predicament. Behind her lay the Fire Nation, her home. Behind her lay the festivals, the circuses and the honor of her past. Who would teach her to fight now? Who would help her to master Firebending? Who would her brother tease and advise and encourage, now that she was beyond dead?

Zerain turned her gaze to the fisherman, who was blankly tending to the wheel. His boat was a primitive affair, a simple wooden frame with a single billowing sail. He wasn't a Firebender, she knew, or he would have used his Firebending to fuel a steamship so he wouldn't have to sail. He was getting old and sailing was hard work. Zerain sighed and found her voice. "Would you like some help?" She asked, standing.

The fisherman ignored her. She wasn't offended. She was, after all, beyond dead to the Fire Nation. Zerain returned to her seat and silently regarded the endless, featureless waves. She sighed and, propping her elbow on the hull of the small boat, rested her chin on her hand.

Gradually, she became aware of something large and shadowy lurking in the distance. She lifted her head and turned to get a better view. A row of colossal Fire Navy ships loomed just ahead, and Zerain's heart leapt to her throat. This was it. The ships marked the end of Fire Nation waters. Once they passed those ships, she would have left her home behind for good.

Zerain had never set foot outside of the Fire Nation in her life. As the tiny boat slipped silently between two hulking steam ships, she found that she was unable to draw a breath. Her heart pounded with the speed of a firefly's, and all of the blood drained from her face.

For what seemed like an eternity, the tiny fishing boat passed soberly under the shadow of the hulking warships. Zerain trembled uncontrollably, trying unsuccessfully to draw air into her lungs, until at last the invigorating rays of the sun fell once more over the boat. Once they were safely into Earth Kingdom waters, a gruff, wizened voice sounded from the wheel, startling the young Firebender.

"If your offer still stands, miss, steering a boat all by one's lonesome can get pretty dull." He didn't turn back to look at her, keeping his eyes trained on the steeply rising and falling swells. "I could use some good conversation."

Zerain just looked at him, stunned. "Are—you talking to me?" She asked, uncertain of herself.

The fisherman laughed. "And who did you think I was talkin' to? The elephant koi?"

Zerain pondered this new development. "But…I'm banished. Shouldn't you be, I don't know, ignoring me? I'm not supposed to exist, you know."

The fisherman let out a wheezing sound, somewhere between a laugh and a cough. "Sure you're not supposed to exist. In the Fire Nation. We're in the Earth Kingdom now, and here you're just as real as me. Me, and the waves, the fish, and my little boat here."

Zerain came to stand by the old man, her hands on the rope connected to the sail. Now he did turn to look at her, his eyes holding a mixture of pity, wisdom and respect. "You have a chance to make a new life for yourself, child. Don't underestimate the value of that. Most people never get that chance." He cast a weary glance back to the Fire Nation waters. "The Fire Nation is changing. This Sozin, he's not right. I feel it in my bones. His father was a good one, but Sozin, he's got ambition." He looked meaningfully at Zerain. "Too much ambition, you ask me. And that young Azulon, he ain't much better. He's only a child yet, but you hear tales. Frightening tales."

Zerain gaped at the old man, stunned. "That's treason, saying that about the Fire Lord." She said defensively.

The old man smiled sadly. "Not out here it isn't. And not with you. You're not Fire Nation anymore, so I'm not in any danger. I'm sorry, but that's the way it is. And you'll know it, too, once you get to the Earth Kingdom lands. There ain't a bunch of lies being spread from village to village calling Fire Lord Sozin a great and progressive leader. They tell it like it is. He's a tyrant, sweetheart. He's gonna go after the other three nations with a vengeance, you mark me. Some say he's already started." He turned his gaze back to the sea, his eyes drooping solemnly.

"Already started?" Zerain said, dumbly.

The old man said nothing. He simply tilted his head up, examining the sky. "Wind's weak today. Won't be much help getting us to the Earth Kingdom very soon." He sighed. "Time was, there'd be a whole mess of Airbenders on their flying bison, zipping around everywhere. They never hesitated to give a good gust to a weary sailor to speed him on his journey. They'd be giggling and chattering up a storm, making the wind mess with each other's hair and habits. Lovely women." He paused, not looking at Zerain. "But I haven't seen a single one lately. Not for many weeks. The jobs gotten a lot harder without the ladies helpin' me on my way." He sounded unspeakably sad. Zerain did not miss his subtle point.

"You think…the Fire Lord—"

"You got a name ready?" He asked suddenly, cutting her off.

Zerain paused, deeply disturbed. After a moment she said, "Zeri." A lump formed in her throat. She didn't know why she had used her mother's pet name for her. All at once the thread binding her to her family tugged fiercely on her heart, and she clasped her chest, tears burning behind her eyes. She recovered quickly.

"Aye." The fisherman said. "A lovely name, miss Zeri." He was silent after that, save when he called out instructions on adjusting the sail as the breeze changed. They spent several hours working in silence as they crept ever closer to the lands of the Earth King.

The sun had just begun to peak its way over the horizon when at long last the small boat reached a modest harbor. Nearly three days had passed since Zerain had left the Fire Nation and her life behind. Most of the time had been passed in silence, each party keeping his or her own council. Never during that time had Zerain inquired about the fisherman's name. She had helped him to haul in a net full of small, iridescent fish, tended the sail as he navigated, and shared quiet meals with him. They shared a wordless understanding with each other, and the old man never again spoke as much as he had that first day. All that had needed to be said had been said.

Zerain was looping the rope around a tethering post on the dock when the old man's gruff voice sounded once again. "Don't know how much longer I'll be able to do this, bring my boat into port all peaceful like. Once Fire Nation hostilities start up with the Earth Kingdom, comin' and goin' between the two is gonna be nasty business. Till the Fire Nation occupies this little village, that is." He looked regretfully up at the thatch-roofed houses, their hearth fires glowing invitingly.

Later in the morning, after the fisherman had tended to a few errands in town, Zerain and the fisherman shared one final meal together. They were comfortable with each other now, secure. They regarded each other with the finality that came with knowing they would never again see one another. At last, as Zerain slung her meager pack over her shoulder and turned to begin her journey to a new life in the Earth Kingdom, the fisherman wordlessly handed her a simple scroll. She accepted it numbly, surprised at the gesture. Before she could say a word, the fisherman was once more on the boat, the line untied and the bow pointed back the way they came. Zerain stood still, gazing out at the distant horizon with tears in her eyes and watching as the unassuming boat grew smaller and smaller. When she could no longer see the fisherman's boat in the distance, she looked down at the scroll in her hand, unrolled it gingerly, and began to read.

---

_Zeri,_

_You're sleeping right now, and rightfully so. You've been through a great deal for one so young. I'm truly sorry for what's happened to you, but all I can do is help make this change a bit easier for you. Beyond this village, in a little clearing through the forest, there's a homey little cabin. There you'll find Pondoje. He's a Fire Nation expatriate, from the days when all the four nations were friendly with each other. If anyone can help you, he can. Follow the road north to the forest, and then just keep to the path and you'll have no trouble. _

_Now I meant what I said. Times are changing, and most places won't be safe for much longer. My advice to you, make your way to a nice, secure city like Omashu. You'll be safe there. _

_Remember, child, you've got a chance to make a new life for yourself, away from this war. Don't pass it up. Good luck, kiddo._

_Fondest wishes, _

_Baijin_

_---_

Zeri rolled the scroll up tightly and clasped it to her heart, tears spilling from her eyes. "Baijin." She whispered harshly, her throat rasping. "Thank you Baijin."

----------

Zeri maneuvered her way through the dense forest and into a small open space. It wasn't far from the village itself, maybe a hundred or so paces, but the tree cover worked to screen it effectively from the rest of the town. Zeri scanned the scroll once more. The cabin was just as Baijin had described, small, quaint and inviting. Homey. A warm glow indicated a roaring hearth fire within, and Zeri's body ached for the familiar warm embrace of her element.

She made her way tentatively to the cabin and raised her hand. After a moment's hesitation she made a few solid raps on the rough wood of the door. A jubilant squeal sounded from inside the house, accompanied by a thumping and banging sound as someone made their way to the door. With a scraping sound, the door swung inward, revealing a middle-aged man with receding hair cut close to his head. He wore simple Earth Kingdom clothing, a loose green shirt and comfortable looking brown trousers. His feet were bare and calloused. His face was jovial and warm. A small boy was visable behind him, peeking at the visitor from a safe distance.

Zeri faltered for a moment, searching for her voice. "Are-" she croaked. Clearing her throat she tried again, "Are you Pondoje?"

The man nodded. "That's me." He said agreeably.

She cast her eyes downward for a moment. "I-I'm Zeri." She said uncertainly.

A gleam of recognition flashed across Pondoje's face. "Ah! Baijin sent you! Yes, he sent me a message earlier today saying you'd be coming." He frowned slightly, tutting. "It's really too bad. I swear I don't know what's become of the Fire Nation these days. Well, don't just stand there, child, come in. We've got a warm fire and a hot meal waiting for you!"

Zeri made her way cautiously into the cabin. It wasn't very big, but it was comfortable. Two adjoined rooms made up the common room and the kitchen. Two doors lead to separate rooms, bedrooms she surmised, separated from the family area. In the kitchen section of the large double-room, a smiling woman was standing beside the fire, transferring pieces of meat from a large pan to the neat places set at the table. She was round, pleasantly plump without being fat. Her long brown hair was pulled back at the sides, away from her face. The rest of it hung down thickly almost to her waist. Her cheeks were rosy and her eyes sparkled. The young boy Zeri had spied from the door was clingin to her skirt, gazing with awe at the young firebender.

"Zeri, I'd like you to meet my lovely wife An Si." Pondoje said, gesturing grandly to the friendly-looking woman. "The only woman in the world beautiful enough to pry me away from the Fire Nation." He said proudly. An Si blushed, giggling. "Don't listen to this old fool," She advised Zeri. "It's my food that dragged him away, not my looks."

She patted the head of the child at her skirt. "And this is our terror of a son, Jun Dao." She informed Zeri.

"Well," Pondoje said impatiently to the slightly overwhelmed Zeri. "Have a seat, fill your plate! We've got good food and good company, no need to waste it!"

Zeri obayed numbly, taking a seat at the well-used table. She accepted large helpings of soup, meat and fruit juice. It wasn't until she took the first bite that she realized how long it had been since she had had a home-cooked meal, and soon she was devouring every last morsel with a vengeance.

"See?" Pondoje proclaimed to his wife. "Everybody loves your cooking."

An Si laughed, looking mirthfully at Zeri. "I'm glad you appreciate it."

Zeri blushed. "Oh, I'm sorry. It's been so long since I've had food this good."

An Si's eyes turned sympathetic, and she laid a comforting hand on Zeri's arm. "I know, dear. But don't worry. Everything will be alright. You'll see."

Pondoje nodded enthusiastically. "That's right. And we'll do whatever we can to help."

After a restful day, a good night's sleep and a large breakfast, Zeri prepared to leave Pondoje's home. Jun Dao wrapped his arm around her leg. "Zeri go 'way?" She smiled at him. "I'll visit someday." She said. "Promise." Jun Dao beamed and scampered away. Zeri crossed the threshhold and paused just outside the cabin. She turned back to see the family, Pondoje with his arm around An Si's waist, An Si with her hands resting lightly on Jun Dao's shoulders. Zeri smiled. Pondoje ran a hand over his balding scalp, smiling reasuringly at her. His message was clear: Though he had severed his topknot and left the Fire Nation behind him, he had still found happiness in a new life. There was hope, Zeri thought. Even for her.

With a final wave and a tearful good-bye from her saviors, Zeri turned her back to them and started walking, each step taking her farther and farther from the Fire Nation. She did not look back.

-------------------------------------------------

Okay, wow. This chapter was hard to write at first, but then it just started spilling out. Now, originally this was supposed to be a duel-chapter, with half devoted to Zerain and half to Genbai, but Zerain seems to finally be taking shape as a developed character and I just couldn't shorten it. I also wasn't expecting Baijin to occur as much of a character. He was just supposed to silently ferry Zerain (or, rather, Zeri) to the Earth Kingdom and give her the scroll leading her to Pondoje (pronounced pon-DOH-jay by the way). But when it came time to write that, he just started talking and I couldn't get him to stop. Before I knew it, I had written an unexpected angel into Zerain's journey. I actually like it much better this way, and I think you will too. I guess I'll have to wait till chapter six to devise a way for these two benders to meet. Oh, and admire the symbolism people! This may be the first time I've conciously used allegorical characters in my writing. I feel so accomplished!


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